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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — a law
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — in music
  11. rule — government
  12. key — the most important part
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wake — a trail
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com